Olympi Mağara

The cave of Olympi located in the central region of the (former) Municipality Mastichochoria , near the village of Olympia and within walking distance of the villages of Pyrgos and Mesta.

The cave of Olympi (Sykia) has a maximum depth of 57 meters, at an altitude of about 100 meters above sea level. The central chamber has a maximum size of 40×40. The beginning of creation is placed in Upper Jurassical period (150 million years ago) and the completion is during Kenozoical period (50 million years ago).

In 1985 explored by the Greek Speleological Society and since 2003 is open to the public.

Located at an altitude of 100 meters above sea level and is a cave with a depth of up to 55 meters. Although small in size, the cave of Olympi has excellent interior decoration of stalactites and stalagmites that ranks among the most remarkable of Greece.

It consists of a main chamber dimensions 30×30 meters approximately, which extends in a longitudinal section. Around the main deck created “recesses”, which in some places form other smaller chambers.

The roof is covered with numerous stalactites, which in most cases do not have a great development. The most striking development exhibit stalactites. Also, in some locations are impressive growth of eccentrics (a kind of stalactites growing in different directions), which creation comes in contrast with the laws of gravity, since they are developed in the vertical direction. The abnormal growth was attributable to the existence of air currents that exist in the cave, and likely due to the natural opening of the roof.

By dating several samples of carbonate materials cavern estimated that the oldest of them created before 230,000 years . However, it is likely to exist in the ancient cave. The creation of the same cave is difficult to calculate. It is considered that the age of the oldest is 25 million years old and are likely to be started forming from 1 to 5,000,000 years ago.

It should be noted that the cave of Olympi still active (in development) even today. For this reason attention has been paid to possible human interventions do not affect the microclimate inside. Hence the input system of ratings, double door, which protects against possible air currents. The temperature (18 degrees of Celsius) and humidity (95 %) inside remain almost constant throughout the year while the drop flow varies seasonally. The stalactites and stalagmites formed by chemical deposition of calcium carbonate carried by the water entering the cave from the rain.

From the natural entrance located on the roof of the great hall and sun rays come in conjunction with the natural colors of the formations inside the cave (red, yellow and white) create striking images rarely found in other caves.